UAD Spotlight: How to Mix Drums Like a Pro With UAD Plug-Ins
Learn the key components to radio-ready drum tones.
In this highly requested installment of UAD Spotlight, join Universal Audio’s Drew Mazurek as he takes you through every plug-in and technique he uses to get a perfectly dialed in drum sound.
Armed with a collection of analog emulations and digital processors, hear how he takes a well-recorded drum kit to the next level.
00:31 - Listening Pass & Context
Get a feel for the track and raw drum sounds in the session.
01:21 - Kick Drum
Recorded with the SD-5 Dynamic Microphone and an additional sub-kick, Mazurek uses the SSL 4000 E Channel Strip to control the dynamics of this drum.
03:15 - Snare Drum
Processing the top and bottom snare microphones separately, Mazurek grabs the same SSL Channel Strip to shape the tone of both microphones individually. He also uses the SPL Transient Designer to alter the sustain on both sides of the snare drum.
07:17 - Tom Toms
Once again opting for the SSL 4000 E Channel Strip, the toms are all processed similarly with a combination of compression, gating, and EQ.
08:20 - Overheads
The overheads feature four plug-ins total, the most of any track in the drum group. All together, this includes another instance of the SSL 4000 E along with the A-Type Multiband Dynamic Enhancer for added brightness, the Pultec MEQ-5 for an additional stage of colorful EQ, and last in the chain the UA 176 Tube Compressor for a final dose of subtle dynamic control and tube coloration.
10:34 - Room Mics
With two separate instances of A-Type, excite mode adds air to the track while crush mode provides a parallel compression for an explosive sound and added space.
11:51 - Drum Subgroup
Starting with LUNA’s API Summing, Mazurek cranks the headroom screw for maximum coloration. In addition, he uses the Chandler Limited Curve Bender Mastering EQ for final overall EQ along with Empirical Labs EL8 Distressor Compressor and the UAD Precision Limiter for more additional dynamic control and “glue” on the overall drum sound.
13:20 - All Processing A/B
Hear the massive transformation of the final drum sound, by themself and in the overall mix.
— UA Staff
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